Political Quotes

“Today I rise in opposition to this cruel and mean-spirited farm bill, a farm bill that will leave working families and our children out in the cold. The farm bill we are debating today cuts $23 billion from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. That would leave 2 million Americans without the support that they need to put food on the table. Mr. Speaker, I represent both rural and urban, from Birmingham to the Black Belt of Alabama, and I can say definitely that every community in my district will be worse off under this bill. For children and working families in my district, SNAP means the difference between a hot meal or going to bed hungry. For farmers and grocery stores in my district, SNAP is an investment in our food system that creates 50,000 agricultural jobs across the country. After the Republicans have shoved down a tax bill that gives the cuts to the wealthiest Americans and adds $2 trillion to our deficit, they now want to cut the benefits for hungry children and working families. I believe this is morally wrong. You see, Mr. Speaker, the face of SNAP in my district is not the welfare mother trying to get over. No. The face of SNAP in my district--where 70 percent of the people who are beneficiaries in my district are children under the age of 17 years old--the face of SNAP in America are needy children. We must and can do better. I am going to vote ``no,'' and I urge my colleagues to do the same.”